Michael Irvin investigated by police over sexual assault allegations

Michael Irvin currently works as an analyst for the NFL Network.Photograph: Gus Ruelas/AP

Michael Irvin, the Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer, is being investigated by police in Florida over allegations of a serious sexual assault.

A 27-year-old woman told police that she woke up in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale last week, fearing she had been drugged and raped after spending the night with Irvin. She called 911 the morning after and filed an incident report with police.

According to TMZ Sports, the woman said she and Irvin, 51, were in a room at the W hotel when she began to feel sick. She said the last thing she remembers was fighting Irvin off, and said when she woke he was getting ready to to check out. The woman took an Uber home and called the police at 7.30am.

TMZ reported that the woman went to a medical lab for a swab and a blood test. She said she texted Irvin, asking him if they had sex. He reportedly responded that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.

Fort Lauderdale police confirmed that Irvin had been listed in a sexual battery incident report, but said Irvin has not been charged with any crime. A police spokeswoman said no other details were available.

Irvin did not respond to requests for comment, but Irvin’s lawyer, Larry Friedman, told TMZ: “Michael was in Fort Lauderdale visiting his nieces and nephews at a track meet. He was also visiting his 90-year-old aunt and attending her birthday party. He was blindsided by news of these allegations.”

Friedman added: “The allegations are completely false. In the few hours since we’ve learned about them we’ve already discovered many red flags about this young woman’s background and the allegations she made against Michael. Even the complaint that she made specifically says she does not recall the events that took place. She was very drunk that night. Nothing happened and there was no assault.”

Irvin starred for the University of Miami and the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he won three Super Bowls. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2007 and has worked as an analyst on the NFL Network. This is the third time Irvin has been accused of sexual assault, although he has never been charged with a crime.